everything prepared for at attack the moment the wind & sea are favorable.At 8 p. m. I sent Capt. Decatur & Capt. Chauncey in two small Boats to reconnoitre the Harbour and examine the situation of their Gun Boats; at midnight they returned and reported that they rowed to the western rock, within musket shot of the enemies sentinels, and that all the Gun Boats were in the mole, moored in a line abreast with heads to the Eastward;-by 1 a. m. the wind had shifted to the S. E. (which blows out of the Harbour) the sea was smooth but the current strong to the westward, which concludes us to defer an attack until some better opportunity, as the Boats would not be able to reach their stations before day light.-At day light the wind suddenly shifted to the N. N. W., which immediately brought a heavy swell on shore, the sky was clouded and appearances of a gale, made the signal for the fleet to weigh & gain an offing.-At 7 a. m. weigh'd and made sail to work off shore.-At 11a. m. double reef'd the Top-sails, fresh breezes and a rough sea,―at noon Tripoly S. b. E., 3 Leagues dis't.

Sunday, August 19th, 1804-Wind N. W.; at 1 p. m., wore to the N. E. & brought to for the Squadron, Capt. Chauncey with his officers & crew rejoined the John Adams. Hoisted in all our Boats, and made signal for all Boats to join their respective ships-at 5 p. m. the wind north, stood to the E. N. E. with the fleet. at midnight wore to the W. N. W., signal was made to the Squadron to do the same. fresh Breezes & a rough sea,—at 6 a. m. sounded 75 fath's water, sandy bottom, we have now an offing of

8 or 10 Leagues from Tripoly.-moderate Breezes all the fore noon, with an ugly swell setting towards the coast.— Tripoly at noon bore S. b. W. † W., 9 Leagues dis't. The clouds are dispersing, and the weather appears favorable for a change of wind.

Lat'e Obs'd 33° 19' No.

Monday, August 20th, 1804-Moder. ate Breezes from the N. E. with a heavy setting to the N. N. W., standing to the N. N. W. with the fleet.-Tripoly bearing S. S. E., 9 or 10 Leagues at 1 p. m. a strange sail was discovered from the John Adams in the E. N. E., made the Argus signal to cast off her Gun Boats & chase-made the John Adams signal to tow the Argus' Boats, at 4 p. m. the Argus brought the chase to, made the signal to bring her down to me, at 6 the Argus & chase joined company, she proved to be the U. S. Ketch Intrepid, from Syracuse, with water and fresh stock for the Squadron, she brought me. letters from Mr. Dyson & Mr. Higgins, the latter informs me that an English vessel left Malta on the 12th inst. with 190 Butts of water & some live stock for the Squadron; we are in great want of the water, but I fear some accident has happened to her to prevent her arrival, as the wind has been constantly fair for several days past,—at 12 midnight the wind E. b. S., steered to the S. b. E.—at 24 a. m. the wind S. S. E., wore ship to the East.-at 5 a. m. wind S. E., wore to the S. S. W.-at 8 a. m. all sail sett for the Land.—at 9 a. m. ordered the Argus to the Eastward to look out for the storeship expected (from Malta), sent the Vixen to the Westward on the same errand, ordered

all the fleet on allowance of water, 2 Quarts pr. day, cooking & grog water included. The prisoners at 1 quart pr. day, which is more than an equal proportion, as they are not exposed to the sun and have no work to do.-At noon we were about 5 Leagues from the coast. Tripoly bearing S. E. b. S. Lat. 33° 4' No.

Tuesday, August 21st, 1804-Moderate Breezes from the E. S. E. and pleasant weather.-standing in for the coast off Tripoly, all the Squadron in comp'y excepting the Argus on the look out to the Eastward. At 1 p. m. the Town of Tripoly in sight, bearing by compass S. E. b. S., 4 Leagues; an unexpected westerly current has carried the Squadron 4 or 5 Leagues farther to leeward than we expected, carrying a press of sail all night to gain our station off the Town. Wind variable in the night, by 7 a. m. the wind had shifted from E. S. E. to South, Tripoly bearing S. W. b. S.. 5 Leagues.—At 9 a. m. saw a strange sail in the S. E. quarter, gave chase, made signal for the Argus and Vixen to chase; the other vessels of the Squadron repeating; at 11. they bore up to comply with the signal.

Wednesday, August 22d, 1804.-Wind W. N. W., Light Breeze, in chase to S. E., made the signal for the Jnc. Adams to act discretionary. At 3 p. m. brought to the chase, a Maltese ship from Malta, with a supply of water, Live stock & vegetables, at 5 p. m. wind shifted to the S. E., the Argus was ordered to tow the store ship; at 7 p. m. we were 4 Leagues from Tripoly, standing for the [ -] Jno Adams, Syren, Scourge & Nautilus at anchor.

AMERICUS VESPUCIUS

I

LETTER OF AMERRIGO VESPUCCI TO THE CARDINAL ARCHBISHOP OF TOLEDO

(JIMÉNES DE CISNEROS) GIVING HIS

OPINION UPON THE COMMODITIES
PROPER TO BE CARRIED TO THE
ANTILLES ISLANDS. SEVILLA,

9 OF DECEMBER 1508 Translated for the Magazine from Cartas de Indias. Madrid 1877

Very reverend and magnificent Lord.

I am so desirous to justify the confidence I receive from your most reverend highness that I shall not hesitate to express my opinion, although I am moved by no personal interest whatever and there is no profit to gain from what I may say, and I now answer as to what should be carried to the islands, whether it be better that it should go by one hand and your Highness receive the profit of it, as the King of Portugal has done in the case of the Mina del oro,* or whether as I believe I understand to be the opinion of your Highness, every one should be free to take thither whatever he may choose.

I find a great difference between the trade of the King of Portugal and this; since the one was to send to the Moorish country, and to one place only, one or two commodities, valued at a certain price, for which his factors there were to respond with value of the same price or with merchandize. Here it is quite the contrary, since in that which should be carried to the islands there is a variety of all sorts of things of which persons may have need, clothing stuffs as well as clothing and many things necessary for buildings and farms, of which they take no account or

thought; so that I consider that it would be very difficult, if not impossible, for your Highness to arrange it in this manner, especially as many of the things which are necessary for the islands must be carried thither from other places than here; such, for instance, as the Canary and Portugese islands, from which they receive cattle, provisions and other necessities; and for each thing a factor will be necessary, and of many of them no account can be kept, because some of them are consumed, some damaged, and others destroyed; and for this reason, it seems to me, that this business cannot be transacted in the said manner, and if there be expectations that it may, I appeal to time for my witness.

If, however, your Highness desire to take any profit, from the entry of merchandize which may be carried to the islands, without care or cost, one of two ways occurs to me; the one, to put a certain duty on every thing which is carried to the islands, such as may seem fit to your Highness, and every one be free to carry thither whatever he may choose; the other is to entrust this busi

ness to merchants, who will share the profits with your Highness and supply everything needful without any care to your Highness, and this rule should govern such a company; that the treasurer of your Highness in the said islands should be charged to look to the receipt and sale of the merchandize which may be sent thither in conjunction with the factor of the merchants, each one keeping his books, in which by

his hands shall be set down an account of all that is sold.

And that an account shall be kept of the cost of all the merchandize which may be sent in each vessel, certified to by the Merchant and the Treasurer or other factor deputed by his Highness at Seville or in Cadiz, in order that, by it, an account may be closed in the islands of all that may be taken over by each vessel, and each may take his share of the profits, paying to the merchant his share of the merchandize with cost and freight, that thus order and accord may be had and no fraud or deceit be possible; and as regards such things as may be brought hither from thence and from the islands above mentioned, and to know the cost thereof, the merchants and the factor of your Highness at Seville or Cadiz may confide the case to such person as they may judge proper.

This, with deference to those who know more than I, is my opinion.

From Seville, the 9th day of December, fifteen hundred and eight.

I humbly kiss the hands of your most reverend Highness.

AMERRIGO VESPUCCI
master pilot.

Endorsement.-To the most reverend

and magnificent Señor Cardinal of Spain, Archbishop of Toledo.

1 San Jorge de la Mina ó Elmina. A factory and fortress on the northern coast of the Gulf of Guinea; situated in 5° south and 15° 30' east of the meridian of Teneriffe.

NOTE. The original text of this letter, with a translation, and an introduction by Mr. George Dexter, has been recently reprinted from the Proceedings of the Massachusetts Historical Society. Our own translation and the illustrations were prepared some time previous, but their publication delayed by the press of matter upon the columns of the Magazine. EDITOR.